


From Prey To Predator

by orphan_account



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Fox Judy, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Transformation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:14:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22283932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: On their way home from Nick's graduation, Judy gets hit with a tranquilizer. When she wakes up, Judy discovers that she is no longer a bunny, but a fox! Follow the "Dynamic Duo" as they, and everyone else, deals with the energetic bunny being replaced by a fox (who is still energetic.) There will eventually be a story about finding out who changed Judy, but it's more heavily focused around the transformation at the beginning. Filled with humor, banter, and awkward relationship building, this will be a fun, light-hearted story that focuses on the WildeHopps relationship quite a bit. Semi-regular updates. Enjoy!
Relationships: Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps/Nick Wilde
Comments: 13
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I'm TheInsomniacFox, and this is my very first fanfiction! That means, in a nutshell, that the writing may be a little dry/boring in some places, and extremely descriptive in others. I may also go back at times and change what has already been written if I don't like it. I'll always leave a note about it, though, so don't worry about confusion or not understanding what's going on. I've always loved Zootopia, and I've had the idea for this fanfic for a while, but it's taken me this long to finally do something about it. Also, heads up, I am a huge stickler for grammar and spelling, so there will be little to no errors in my writing, hopefully. Anyways, here's chapter one!

As Nicholas Wilde stood on the graduation platform he quietly wondered how his six months at the police academy had gone by so quickly. At first, the days, filled with endless running, obstacle courses, and boring classwork, had seemed to go on forever. Now, as Nick looked back, it seemed like only yesterday that he had arrived at the intimidating complex. The days had passed by in a haze, but Nick felt as if this moment would last forever. 

Shaking his head a little to clear his thoughts, Nick watched as his favorite bunny in the world approached him with a gleaming golden badge in her hand. His chest swelled a little bit as he looked into Judy’s eyes, which were filled with pride for him, and the fox was once again reminded of why he had decided to become a police officer in the first place. 

“Congratulations, Nicholas Wilde, on your accomplishment of graduating, and at being at the top of this year’s class.” Judy listened to the other animals cheer at her words, but she knew that their excitement could never even begin to challenge how much pride she felt for Nick as she pinned on his shield. She turned towards the waiting mammals and announced “And with that, you are all done with the Zootopia Police Academy!” Judy had thought that the animals cheering for Nick had been loud, but now their cheers were almost ear-shattering in volume. The cadets all threw their police hats into the air, but when Judy glanced over at Nick, she saw him looking down at his, and then at her.   
Catching the doe’s eye, the fox strolled over to her. “Here,” he said, handing the cap to Judy. “I want you to have this. That way, if you’re ever lonely, you can look at it and imagine my beautiful face and rugged, handsome body.” As he said this, Nick dramatically puffed out his chest and showed off his ‘guns,’ which, while still not huge, were noticeably bigger than they had been six months ago. Judy giggled and took the hat, holding it in her paws. 

“Nick…” the rabbit struggled to find the right words to express just how happy she was for him. “Amazing job! I can’t believe it! You actually graduated! And as the valedictorian, too!” 

The tod was almost bowled over as he was hit by a flying mass of grey fuzz coming to hug him. Returning the hug, Nick whispered back “I couldn’t have done it without you, Fluff. Thank you.” They broke off the hug before any of the other graduates noticed, and Nick spoke at normal volume again. “Well, what do you say, Carrots? Shall we head out and snag some lunch? Standing on a platform makes me hungry. Know anywhere good?”

“Sure! There’s a restaurant near here that I used to go to whenever Major Friedkin would let me. It’s owned by a cheetah and they serve a mean blueberry pie.” Judy laughed at how wide Nick’s eyes got at the mention of blueberries and she had trouble keeping up with him as he dashed for the parking lot. When she finally made it to the parking lot, the doe found Nick standing by her cruiser, waiting for her to unlock it.

“Come on, Carrots!” Nick yelled. “We can’t keep that pie waiting! It would be heartbroken if I didn’t get to eat it!”

Laughing again, Judy unlocked the car, hopped (quite literally) into the driver’s seat, and started the car, all in one fluid motion. They drove in a companionable silence, Judy only speaking once to tell the fox once again just how proud she was of him. When they arrived at the restaurant, Nick dashed to the door, but instead of running inside like she had expected, Judy was surprised and a little pleased when he stopped and held it open for an elderly armadillo that was exiting the building. He continued holding it until Judy went through, and came in after her. The duo made their way over to a booth. Nick ordered salmon, and Judy asked for a salad.

Forty five minutes later, a full and very happy Nick Wilde climbed into the passenger seat of the cruiser. “You were right, Carrots. That was a good blueberry pie. The only way they could improve is if they used some blueberries from your family’s farm. I don’t know what it is about them, but those things are unnaturally good.”

“Ya know, Nick,” Judy responded. “I’m starting to wonder whether you like me or blueberries more. I bet a criminal could bribe you to let them get away with murder by giving you a slice of blueberry pie.”

“Carrots, you wound me!” Nick adopted a look of feigned hurt on his face. “Tax fraud, maybe. But murder? That would be a whole pie, at least! Maybe two, depending on the target.” 

Bursting out in laughter, Judy pulled out of the parking lot and started the long drive back to Zootopia. “Whatever you say, Blue.”

Looking over at the bunny, Nick realized that he had just earned himself his own version of ‘Carrots,’ and sighed. “I don’t suppose I could offer something in exchange for you not calling me Blue, could I?” Judy just grinned, shook her head, and kept driving.

A few hours later, the duo was back in Zootopia, and Judy pulled to a stop in front of a high-end apartment building. Nick looked up at the building as they got out and remembered the day he had gotten it. The owner was involved in an illegal gambling ring, and had racked up some rather large debts. Nick gave him some tips to help him win back what he owed, and the wolf let him have an apartment out of gratitude. They still talked on occasion, but once he heard that Nick was becoming a cop, the owner greatly reduced contact and agreed to let the fox keep the room as long as he didn’t use what he knew to prosecute. 

Looking down at the doe, the tod had a flashback to the day he had revealed where he lived. After they had solved the Bellwether case, Judy revealed that she had given up her apartment when she went back to Bunnyburrow for three months. Nick had a spare room in his apartment and offered to let her stay there while she looked for a new home. Eventually, they decided that it would be best for both of them if she just moved in permanently. For his part, Nick enjoyed having her around the apartment, and he looked forward to being home again after six months at the academy. His thoughts were shattered though as he heard a cry of pain from Judy.

He looked at her, unsure as to what had happened, and then he saw what looked like a tranquilizer dart sticking out of her neck. “Judy!” he cried out, as she staggered around. Nick dashed forward to catch her and scanned around frantically for the shooter. He couldn’t see anything and, as he felt Judy go unconscious, he made a snap decision. Get inside, away from harm, first, then his top priority would be taking care of her. Nick felt his heart pounding, and it was taking everything he had not to break down. The tod called Chief Bogo to let him know what had happened, and listened carefully as he received instructions.

“You need to lay her down in a bed, immediately! There’s not much you can do for a tranq dart except make sure she gets rest and stays hydrated. I’ll send a unit over to look into it.” The chief hung up, concerned for the bunny officer. Although he wouldn’t tell it to anyone, he had grown to enjoy having the bunny and her relentless optimism around.  
Meanwhile, Nick hauled Judy up to her bed and set a glass of water on her nightstand. "It's going to be okay..." he gasped to her between breaths. "It's going to be okay... It's going to be okay... It's going to be okay..." He wished that him saying it would make him believe it. She hadn’t made a sound since she got knocked unconscious, but she was breathing quickly and her heart was pounding. Flicking off the light and closing the door, Nick looked back at the bunny lying on the bed. He still had no idea why somebody would shoot her with a tranquilizer dart and then run away without doing anything, he was scared, terrified, barely able to keep his worry hidden, but he was also deeply glad that nothing more had happened. “Sleep well, Carrots.” the fox said and went to bed, although he didn’t think he would get much sleep, if any.


	2. The Transformation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Fox here! I have two things to say. First, thanks to all of the positivity you guys have been giving me! My writing will hopefully improve as I go on, so here's hoping that y'all keep enjoying it! Second, I want to give a shoutout to J Shute, my beta reader. He's amazing at what he does, and he also writes! Go check him out if you haven't yet!

“Nick!” Nick sat up as soon as he heard Judy’s yell, shooting out of bed without a moment’s hesitation. Glancing at the clock, he noticed that it was 7 in the morning. Dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of plaid pajama pants, Nick sprinted down the hall towards Judy’s room. His feet scrabbled for traction on his hardwood floor, and he cursed as he just barely managed to pull to a halt in front of Judy’s room. He threw open the door, his mind full of things that could be wrong. 

“Judy, wha-” Nick’s question was stopped short as he took in the sight before him. The night before, a small gray bunny had been sleeping on the bed. Now, though, a fox was lying there. A female fox. Nick’s confusion grew, and he tried to decide if this was some sort of prank by Judy. No, he decided. She wouldn’t be that cruel. She knows how upset I would be. “Who are you, and what have you done to Judy?” Nick asked, his words coming out a little harsher than intended.

“Nick,” the vixen whimpered, seeming not to hear Nick’s question. “Everything hurts. Help me, please.” As she said this, the fox turned to face Nick, and the tod’s breath caught in his throat. Her eyes were the exact shade of purple as Judy’s, and their voices sounded very, very similar. What the hell? Nick thought. What happened? Nick still wasn’t sure that the fox was Judy, but he decided that if she was really in pain, which it definitely sounded like, then he would help her and then find out about Judy. 

Nick sprinted into the bathroom, mind racing, and grabbed some fox strength aspirin, and then filled up a glass of water in the kitchen. Being careful not to spill any, he made his way back into Judy’s room. “Here. Take these pills, drink the water, and then rest. We’ll talk in the morning.”

“Thanks, Slick,” The vixen replied, “I hope this works.” Her use of his pet name only made Nick more intrigued and he grabbed a chair. The fox sat watching her while as the pain left her body and she fell asleep. Surely this is some sort of dream, the fox thought. This is weirder than anything I remember, though. After several hours, Nick finally drifted off.

Nick woke with a start, and immediately felt pain in his back. I’ve gotta stop sleeping in those chairs. It was then that he saw the fox lying, still asleep, in front of him. He felt like he was punched in the gut as everything came back to him. I guess it wasn’t a dream after all. What the hell? There’s no way that she just… turned into a fox! This has to be a joke or something. Nick stood and nudged the sleeping vixen, waking her. “Hey, I don’t know who you are, but I want you to know that this isn’t funny. Where’s Judy, and how did you get in?”

“Nick? What are yo-” the fox stopped as she saw her paw. She stared at it, and then looked at the rest of her body. “Nick? What happened? WHY AM I A FOX?!” 

Nick desperately wanted to avoid making Judy panic. He was on the verge of breaking down himself, but he needed to keep the other fox calm if he was going to learn anything about what had happened. “Judy, we have to stay calm. Freaking out isn’t going to help anyone right now.”

“Freaking out?! Nick, I think I have every right to freak out! The last thing I remember, we were coming in from your graduation, and now when I wake up, I’m a fox! What even happened?”

Nick sighed, and answered. “I have no idea. I thought this was a prank or something, but I’m guessing it’s not.” He glanced over, and saw the vixen vehemently shaking her head. “So you actually are Judy?” The other fox nodded, eliciting a curse from Nick. “I honestly don’t know much more than you do. Last night, you got hit by a tranquilizer dart and you went unconscious. I brought you up here and put you in bed, but then you woke me up in the middle of the night. I came running in here to find a fox instead of a rabbit. You don’t remember any of this?” Another shake of the head. “Well, you were in a lot of pain, so I brought you aspirin. See, the glass is still on the nightstand.” 

Judy glanced over and saw, sure enough, an empty glass of water that she didn’t remember putting there. “Nick, I’m scared. Everything feels… off. All of the things I was used to as a bunny are gone now, and there are weird fox things in their place. I have no idea how this happened, and I don’t know if there are side effects to the transformation. I feel like this isn’t real. Like it’s some sort of dream about black magic, and I’ll wake up any minute now.” 

Nick heard a slight sniffle, and realized that his friend was crying. “Hey, Carrots.” He replied. “We’ll work it out. There’s gotta be some sort of reversal process. I mean, if a bunny can turn into a fox, why can’t it change back? Now, let’s think about what happened. Last night, you were darted, and then you were somehow changed. Chief Bogo sent a unit, so we’ll have to see if they found anything. There could be a clue as to who did this, and the sooner we find that mammal, the sooner we find a way to get you back.”

Judy nodded, and she felt a little bit better. She still had no idea how a tranquilizer dart had turned her into a fox, or if it would be possible to change her back. Judy pushed the thought away as she focused on getting used to her new body. As she started to shift, she realized that her clothes had been shredded; the only thing separating her bare body from the outside world was her blankets. Mortified, Judy managed to stammer out “Hey, uh… Nick?” The fox, who had been staring into space, thinking, turned back to her and shook his head to clear his mind. “Do… uh… do you have any spare clothes I could borrow? You know… just for a little while?” 

Nick nodded and returned a few minutes later with an old, faded t-shirt, and a pair of blue jeans that didn’t fit him but seemed perfect for Judy. He stopped short as he realized what he was missing: underwear. Sighing, the fox trotted back to his room, and grabbed a box from under the bed. The small box contained a few items from past hustles that Nick had never thrown away. He really hadn’t wanted to use anything in the box ever again, but he didn’t have much of a choice. Nick opened it and started digging around until he located some undergarments that would work until Judy could get something better. 

Judy looked up at Nick when he entered the room with a pile of clothes in his hands. “Here you go,” the fox said. “These should do for now. We’ll have to get you more later. For now, though, I’ll get started on breakfast, and then we’ll work out how to tell everyone else.” Judy felt a feeling of dread at the thought of calling her parents and telling them that, not only was their precious “Jude the Dude” in danger, she had been somehow turned into a fox. 

Nick saw the look on Judy’s face, and immediately felt bad for giving her more stress when she was already so worried. “Look, Judy. It won’t be that bad,” Nick said, trying to be as comforting as possible. “After breakfast, we can go see the doctor. I don’t know if they’ll be able to do anything, but you never know. Ok?” Judy nodded. “Now. I’m going to make some breakfast while you get dressed, and then we can head out. What sounds appealing to you? I have no idea how this whole thing works, or how your stomach is.”

Judy opened her mouth instinctively to respond with “carrots,” like she always did, but she stopped as she realized that it wasn’t true. “Uhh… blueberries sound good, I guess.” Judy replied. 

The tod nodded, and said “I’ll go make some blueberry pancakes, alright? Get dressed, and then see if you can walk. I assume that it’ll take a while before you get used to everything. It’s a good thing that this is just temporary.” He exited the room and shut the door. After a couple of seconds, Judy heard him banging around in the kitchen, getting everything ready to cook. She felt a little better as she thought about Nick, and all that he had done for her. There was nobody that she would rather have at her side through any kind of danger.

Focusing more on the task at hand, Judy began to assess the clothes that Nick had brought her. She made a mental note to ask Nick about the underwear later. The brand new fox found all of the clothes to be a reasonably good fit, although they weren’t that comfortable. As she got dressed, Judy looked at her new body in the mirror. She was still slim and muscular. The black markings on her ears were the same. Overall, not much had changed other than her species. It still felt unnatural to look in the mirror and Judy tried to walk around, and felt a little off balance. She managed to keep her feet by leaning on the bed, but she had a sinking feeling that this would be the first of many things to get used to. 

Nick glanced up as Judy staggered into the kitchen, still a little unsteady. He rushed to help her walk, but she waved him away. “I won’t fall, Nick. I’m just getting used to this body. Besides, if I can’t walk, then how will I be able to deal with everything else that comes up?”  
Nick nodded and went back to the pancakes, but he kept an eye on her. “Hey, those smell good. Like, really good,” Judy said as she sat down. 

Nick grinned at the compliment. “Of course they do! They are made with Hopps blueberries, after all. Besides, you’ve got to be starving. I’ll bet anything that resembles food would smell good to you right now. Anyways, the last batch of these is done, so breakfast is just about ready. Make sure not to eat too quickly. I have no idea how stable your stomach is right now, and we don’t need you getting sick.”

As much as she wanted to start stuffing her face, Judy heeded Nick’s advice and ate slowly, although she still ate more than Nick would have thought possible. “I guess the one thing that didn’t change was your appetite. Maybe I’ll have to call you Blue now, huh?” Nick joked when they were winding down. Judy snorted as she put away the dishes. “I’m serious! The only reason I keep you around is so that I don’t have to deal with leftovers.” Judy broke out in laughter, and Nick noticed her tail swaying in happiness. Huh, he thought. It seems like she has some fox instincts. Weird. I wonder if that means she has psychological changes to go with the physical ones? 

“Alright, now comes the bad part, Judy. We have to let people know what happened, but I don’t know if it would be wise to make your transformation public yet. Who do you think we should tell?” Nick watched as Judy deflated a little at the question, and waited for her answer. 

“My parents, for sure. After that, maybe Chief Bogo? I can’t really think about anyone else, although we may have to tell everyone in the police department eventually. After all, there’s no way to find out who did this without starting a case.” Nick noted that Judy’s tail had stopped swaying. “Nick… it’s just… so much to process all at once. I mean, who’s ever heard of somebody changing species? I can still hardly believe it! I keep trying to use my ears, only to realize they aren’t there. Sweet cheese and crackers, just think about how much panic there would be if word got out that somebody was capable of doing this!”

Nick nodded. “Alright. We’ll keep this a secret. How are you feeling?”

“Weird, Nick. Weird and stressed. I feel so bizarre, like this isn’t really happening. It makes me want to scream, cry and yell, all at the same time. It’s hard to adjust to everything. One of the things that’s really messing me up is the height. There were so many things that I had to jump to see before, but now I can just see them with no effort.”

“Too bad you’re still shorter than me,” Nick teased. “I was worried for a little while there.” A frown came across the tod’s face. “I guess I can’t call you Carrots anymore, huh? I need a new nickname for you. Maybe… oh I don’t know, Jude the Dude? I hear you like that one.” Nick’s smug smile stayed in place despite the withering glare that came from the other fox. “Fine, fine. I won’t call you Jude the Dude. Besides, why would I call you that when I could call you Cherry?” Judy just raised her eyebrows.

“Cherry? Is that really the best you can come up with? You’re slipping, Blue.” Judy emphasized the last word and watched Nick’s reaction. She snorted as his grin slipped for just a split second before he got it under control again. 

“Oh, don’t you worry, I’ll find something. I may not know what it is yet, but there’s something out there that I can use. Alright, we’d better call your parents. You remember how much they freaked out because you waited a day to tell them that you were hurt in the Nighthowler Incident.” Judy grimaced as she thought about how her parents would react. Stu had nearly fainted when she told him about her case, and that was nothing compared to this. 

Judy nodded with resignation and pulled out her phone. “I guess we’d better get this over with. How should we do this? I would like to avoid making my dad pass out, if that’s at all possible.”

“I think I’d better start. Showing you right away isn’t exactly what one would call ‘a gentle introduction. Stay nearby, so they can see you once I’ve told them.” Judy nodded and walked over to sit on the couch. Nick noticed that she didn’t show any signs of unsteadiness, and he added it to his growing list of “things to think about later.” “Are you ready, Judy?” The vixen nodded, and Nick pressed “MuzzleTime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright everyone, that was chapter 2! I wanted to make Nick and Judy react as realistically as possible, but I'm still not sure I got to the level of panic and event like this would cause. What do you guys think? What would you like to see happen? Leave your answers in the comments!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey all! Thank you guys so much for all of your support and positive reviews! It makes my day to see someone saying they love this story! I am now going to start doing something I've seen some other authors do: comment replies! Also, as always, huge shoutout to J Shute for betareading this story. He's the reason this is actually interesting.  
> Midlou: Thanks! Hopefully this is up to snuff with the rest of it!  
> WonderingWind: I appreciate it! Their interactions are so fun to write! Here's more banter for ya!  
> Wolfpaw: I'm excited too! This started as a weird idea in my brain, and I have almost none of the story planned, so it's going to be as much of a surprise for me as it will be for you.  
> Disclaimer: I got caught by Mickey, but I was able to 'negotiate' my release by bribing him with cheese. I may have to see if he can get me the rights to Zootopia if I give him enough cheese. Hmm... In the meantime, here's chapter three!

Nick set up Judy’s phone, and pressed ‘MuzzleTime.’ He barely had time for a glance at Judy before her parents picked up. “Hey, Judy, is everything alri-” Bonnie Hopps cut off as soon as she saw that Judy was nowhere to be found. “Nick? Where’s Judy? Is she alright? Is she hurt?” Nick saw Stu in the background with a look of concern on his face.

Nick grimaced and prepared for the conversation that he was about to have. “Mr. and Mrs. Hopps, I want you to promise me something. I want you to promise me that you will both sit down and not ask anything until I’m done explaining. No matter what you hear, you will wait until the end before you say anything. Deal?” Both of the bunnies paused as they processed what the fox had just said. After a few seconds, they sat down at the table and nodded. “Alright. Yesterday was the day that I graduated from the police academy. On our way home, Car- Judy was hit in the neck with a tranquilizer dart. Now,” Nick said soothingly after seeing the concern on Stu and Bonnie’s faces. “I want you to know that Judy is unharmed. She is not injured. She is in this apartment, and she is awake. The reason you can’t talk to her right now, though, is exactly what I called to talk to you about. This is going to seem like I’m making something up, but it is completely true. You see, I don’t know how, but Judy was transformed into a fox.”

Nick heard a thud as Stu fainted and hit the floor. The look on Mrs. Hopps’ face shifted into one of disbelief, and then anger. “Mr. Wilde,” she scolded him. “It pains me to know that you would dare do something like this! We take Judy’s wellbeing very seriously, as you know. Frankly, I-” Whatever Mrs. Hopps had been about to say died in her throat as another fox, one with the exact same purple eyes as Judy, entered the screen.

“Hey Mom, hey Dad. I’m not in danger. I feel alright, but I’m just trying to adjust to this.” Judy gestured to her whole body as she said ‘this.’ “I just wanted to tell you that Nick isn’t lying. This isn’t some sort of cruel joke. We have no idea how, but I’m a fox now.” Judy felt bad for her father, who had just woken up and was still trying to comprehend the idea that one of his precious daughters had been turned into one of the mammals he was the most scared of: a fox. 

“JUDY?!” Both foxes cringed as Stu shouted. “Judy, we’re coming to Zootopia right now! Get to a hospital! Stay there! We’re coming! I knew we never should have let you move to that big city! Look at what happened!” 

“Dad! DAD!” Judy had to yell to get her father’s attention. “Don’t come to Zootopia. I get that you guys are worried. I’m worried too. But coming here won’t make anything better, and it takes away from the farmwork. Keep everything running smoothly there, and we’ll do our best to do the same here. I’ll check into a hospital, but I have no idea if they’ll be able to do anything. Okay?” Stu nodded meekly. 

Bonnie spoke up for the first time“Judy, is there any way to undo this? Do you have any idea who did this? Is this some sort of revenge from Bellwether?”

Nick shook his head at the question. “We know almost as little about this as you do, Mrs. Hopps. We don’t even know where to begin looking, much less where to find a reversal process. It looks like Judy’s going to be a fox for a while, whether we like it or not. As for who did it, we haven’t even begun to investigate that. We’ve been too busy dealing with the transformation.”

Mrs. Hopps sighed. “Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I don’t want either of you to keep any secrets, no matter how small they seem.”

“Not right now, no,” came the reply. “We’ll keep you posted.” After a few long goodbyes, the two foxes hung up. Turning to Judy, Nick was the one that spoke first. “Well, that went… alright. Judy, I want you to know that I’ll be by your side throughout this whole thing. If there’s anything I can do to help make it better, then please let me know.” 

Judy looked at Nick, and saw the compassion in his eyes. She knew that she could count on him for anything, and she was glad to have him by her side. “Nick…” Judy rushed forward and enveloped Nick in a tight hug. “Thank you. For everything. There’s no one I would rather have to help me.” They stood in hug for a few minutes, before finally separating. 

“Alright Cherries, we have two more things to do today. First, we need to go clothes shopping for you. Second, we have to call Chief Bogo and give him the news. Which one do you want to do first?”

Judy answered, “I think I need a break from calling people. Can we go shopping right now?” 

Nick nodded, and started walking towards the door. “I think I know the perfect place for you, and it’s nearby. Are you ready to go out in public?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” 

“Threads for Preds” was only two blocks from Nick and Judy’s apartment, so it wasn’t long before they arrived. Nick held the door for Judy as they were walking in, and imitated a doorman as he did so. Judy giggled at his exaggerated posture and expressionless face.

The leopard clerk smiled as she saw the duo of foxes walk in, and gave a slight chuckle at the tod’s antics. Nick was a regular, so all of the staff knew him well. “Hey Nick, how are you? We just got a new shipment of Pawaiian shirts if you’re interested.”

Judy grinned. She knew he had to get his gaudy shirts somewhere, but she found it amusing that the workers knew him and what he liked.

“I’m going to have to pass today, Brittany. You see, I’m not here for me. I’m here for this country weirdo who decided that it would be a good idea to come to the big city with nothing but the clothes on her back and a little bit of cash. I figured, kind soul that I am, that I would help her get some clothes.” When he was done talking, Nick looked over to see Judy already going through the aisles, looking at clothes without him. “Huh. I guess she’s in a hurry to spend her money. I’ll go help her.” The tod sauntered over to where his friend was standing. 

Judy spoke up as she saw Nick approaching. “Nick, what do foxes normally wear? You’re really the only fox I’ve talked to, and I get the feeling that bright green floral shirts aren’t the norm.”

Nick looked scandalised. “Whatever do you mean? Pawaiian shirts are the only thing we foxes wear! As a matter of fact, nearly every fox has an entire closet just filled with them! Come on, let’s go find you some.” 

Judy snorted and punched Nick lightly in the arm. “Come on, Nick. I’m being serious. Let’s go check out the pants. They’re having a sale right now!” Nick was pulled off balance as Judy grabbed his paw and made her way over to the jeans. “What do you think, Nick?” The vixen held up a pair of dark blue jeans that were marked half off, and Nick nodded. 

The time passed in a blur as Judy picked out her clothes. They had decided not to get too many sets of clothing, since Judy wouldn’t be able to use them for long. Eventually, at around noon, the duo were ready to check out. A red and blue striped tie had caught Nick’s eye as they were shopping, and he couldn’t resist. Brittany, the cashier, raised an eyebrow as they approached with a cart full of clothes. 

They didn’t have any problems checking out, but as they were finishing up Brittany said “She must really be something, Nick. You’ve never brought anyone with you before, and now you’re paying for her clothes? I had no idea you were even dating anyone!” Both of the foxes immediately blushed, and Nick started to splutter.

“Brit- I- we aren’t dating! We’re just friends. I was just being nice!”

The leopard just gave Judy a knowing smirk and finished checking them out. “Alright Nick, that’s everything. Ready to pay?” Nick nodded and swiped his credit card.

As they were walking out of the store, arms full of bags, Judy asked “Nick, how much was that? We got a lot of clothes, and some of these weren’t cheap. I can pay you back later, if you want.”

Nick shook his head and replied. “This was my treat. You already have enough to worry about. Lack of clothing shouldn’t be added to that list. Now then, shall we head home?”

Judy nodded, and the pair of foxes made their way back to their apartment. As they walked Judy noticed something different, and it took her a moment to realize what it was. For once, she and Nick weren’t receiving any glares of disgust or disapproval. Nobody was judging her for being a bunny that was hanging out with a fox. Now, nobody gave them a second glance. 

When they arrived back in the apartment, Nick started brewing coffee. “You go change, Cherries. I’m going to make some elixir of life. I realized in the store that I completely forgot to brew any this morning, and I can feel the life draining out of me.”

Judy nodded, and then hesitated. “Nick, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Why did you decide on Cherries as my nickname? Couldn’t we just have kept on using Carrots?”

“Well,” Nick replied. “To answer your first question, it’s because you’re red, even for a fox. I noticed that when you first came out of your room. Plus, I have a hunch that you’ll like cherries almost as much as blueberries. As for your second question, no for two reasons. First, people would find it weird for me to be calling another fox ‘Carrots’ when foxes hardly ever eat them. Second, don’t you think that anyone that knows us would find it suspicious that I’m calling some fox the same name as my rabbit best friend?”

Judy mulled over what Nick had said, and realized that it made sense. “Huh. I guess I hadn’t thought of that. Anyways, I’m going to get changed. I’ll be right back.” Nick watched as Judy took a set of clothing into the bathroom, and then turned back to his coffee maker.

Inside the bathroom, Judy looked more closely at herself in the mirror as she stripped down. She hadn’t paid much attention to the details when she looked at herself that morning, but now she looked as closely as she could at every detail. Judy saw that she was still slim and muscular, but she was considerably lankier now, almost like Nick. Judy also caught sight of her tail in the mirror. She hadn’t really thought about the weird feeling that having a long tail gave her, but now it was hard to shake from her mind. Judy sat for about five minutes waving her tail around and admiring it. She was surprised to find that she already knew the right muscles to use to move it around. She was finally startled out of her trance when Nick knocked on the door.

“You alright in there, Judy? You’ve been in there for a while.” Judy heard a hint of concern in Nick’s voice.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she responded. “I’m just seeing what changed. It’s weird to have a tail that I can actually move around.”

“Alright,” Nick said, satisfied. “Would you like some coffee? I’d imagine you could use some energy right now.”

Judy realized that she was feeling pretty tired and, although she had never needed it before, coffee might do her some good. She replied to Nick and finished changing. Nick watched as Judy came out of the bathroom dressed in a casual t-shirt and a pair of jeans that fit her well. She was still fascinated with her tail, feeling the soft fur on it. He chuckled to himself and poured Judy a cup of coffee. 

The two foxes sat in content silence, broken only by the occasional sound of coffee being sipped. When they were done, Judy asked, “Nick,” The tod turned towards her, all ears. “How long do you think I’ll be a fox? Do you think it’s even possible to go back? What if I’m like this forever?”

Nick felt her panic rising, and rushed to soothe the vixen. “Judy, we’ll get you back. If there isn’t a way to reverse the process, I’ll make one. As for how long you’ll be like this, I have no idea. What I do know is that we’ll track down whoever did this to you as fast as we can, and we’ll make them pay. Nobody messes with my favorite bunny and gets off scot-free.”

Judy was touched by Nick’s words, especially when he said “my favorite bunny.” Rather than saying anything, Judy opted instead to just hug Nick. The tod was a little surprised by the unexpected physical contact, but he quickly returned the hug. Both foxes sat like that for a long time, content in the knowledge that each would always have the other’s back.

When they finally broke contact, Nick sat up and glanced at the clock. “Jeez, Cherries! Look at the time! Chief Buffalo-Butt said to call him by eleven o’clock, and we only have five minutes left! How should we tell him? Like we did with your parents, or more blunt? It’s your call.”

Judy thought for a little while, and then answered. “Bogo likes to get the facts, and nothing else. I think it would be better if we just told him. He won’t believe it at first, but I’ll convince him that we’re telling the truth.”

Nick nodded and grabbed his phone off the counter and set it to speaker. “Alright, Cherries. Let’s do this.”

The phone picked up after two rings, and a gruff voice answered. “Bogo speaking, who is this?” 

“Chief Bogo, sir, this is Nick Wilde. I was calling to give you an update on Judy.” 

“Wilde. Talk to me. How is Hopps? Any signs of dehydration? Irritation? Dizziness?”

“No sir, none of that.” Nick thought he heard a sigh of relief come from the other end, but he could have been mistaken. “But…” 

“But what, Wilde? Do I need to send an officer over?”

“No, sir. There’s really no good way to say this, but Judy was somehow turned into a fox.” Nick waited with bated breath as the chief was silent for a little while. 

“This had better not be a joke, Wilde. The wellbeing of my officers is no laughing matter.”

“I’m not laughing, sir. I have no idea how, but Judy has been physically transformed into a red fox. Aside from that, there seem to be no ill effects from the dart. She’s right here if you would like to speak to her.”

Nick handed the phone to Judy, and listened anxiously. The chief spoke first.“Hopps, is the fox telling the truth?”

“Yes, sir. Everything Nick said was true. I know he makes a lot of sarcastic comments, but this isn’t something he would joke about. I’m feeling fine, but it’s weird to be in a body that feels so familiar, yet so different. Once we were done calling you, Nick and I were going to go into the hospital to see if they can do anything, or if they have any idea how something like this could have even happened.”

Bogo was skeptical. “Are you sure there wasn’t something in the tranquilizer that’s making you and Wilde think you’re a fox? It seems much more likely that there was some sort of psychotic agent in that dart. Transforming a mammal’s species, especially with just a dart, just seems impossible. It goes against the very laws of nature!”

“I’m positive, sir. Nick and I already went clothes shopping, and I was seen as a fox by everyone. Plus, there’s no way that the agent could affect Nick. I’m the only one that was hit by a dart.”

“If what you’re saying is true, which I’m still not convinced of, then the implications of this could be huge. We can’t let word of this get out! If the prey mammals knew that there was some maniac running around and somehow turning prey into predator, then panic would break out. You can’t tell anyone about this. We need to catch whoever did this, and fast.”

“Speaking of catching them, sir, did the unit you sent over find anything? Nick was too preoccupied with taking care of me to search the scene.”

“I sent Wolfard over, and he found the dart. We sent it to the chem lab for analysis, but now I’m pushing its analysis up to number one. I’ll let you know as soon as we find out what the hell was in it. I’m also going to get people working on an antidote.”

A question came to Judy’s mind. “Sir, will I be able to return to active duty? I would like to help catch the criminal, and show him what happens when you mess with a Hopps.”

Bogo thought for a minute. There was nothing in ZPD Policy about this, so it was entirely his call to make. “First, I would like you to be seen by a doctor. We still need to keep this a secret, though, so I’ll bring one of the ones I can trust and stop by later. I want to verify what you’re saying with my own eyes, and make sure that everything goes smoothly. I should be there around 5 o’clock. I want you and Wilde to stay put until then.”

“And after that?” Judy asked, voice full of anxiety.

Bogo sighed. “I suppose, as long as you can pass a physical. The general rule regarding anything life changing is that if the officer is still fit to serve, they may. I’ll see if I can schedule one at the Academy.”

“Alright sir, thank you. I’ll be in touch if anything happens.”

“Goodbye Hopps. And Wilde?”

“Yes sir?” Nick involuntarily snapped at attention when he heard his name being called, despite the fact that the chief couldn’t see him. 

“Take care of Hopps. We don’t need anything more happening to her.”

“Yes sir, I will. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye Wilde. Remember to stay put until I come over.” The buffalo put his phone back in its place and let out a deep breath. He got the feeling that today was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, that was chapter three! Let me know what y'all think and if there's anything I could do better. Until next time, ~Fox.  
> P.S. Send cheese. I need to start stockpiling it.

**Author's Note:**

> So that was chapter one! I don't have a whole lot to say other than comment if you enjoyed, or didn't enjoy, or whatever, really! Since I'm writing this as we go, I also want to say that if any of you guys want to see anything happen, or not happen, please let me know! There's no guarantee that I'll use your idea, but I'll definitely take it into account and I'll always give credit if I do. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time. All the best, ~Fox


End file.
